Bi-Nou
Bi-Nou Medium Aberration (Earth) Hit Dice: 5d8+15 (37 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) Armor Class: 19 (+2 Dex, +7 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5 Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d8+2) Full Attack: 2 claws +6 melee (1d8+2) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Constrict, dig, improved grab, spell-like abilities Special Qualities: Blind, blindsight 120 ft., deaf, immunity to mind-affection spells and abilities, spell resistance 9, spell vulnerabilities, telepathy 100 ft. Saves: Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +7 Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 12 Skills: Climb +10, Hide +10*, Move Silently +10 Feats: Great Fortitude, Weapon Focus (claw) Environment: Underground Organization: Solitary or clan (2-8) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: 50% coins; standard goods (gems and metallic goods only); standard items (crystalline and metallic only) Alignment: Usually chaotic evil Advancement: 6-10 HD (Medium); 11-15 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — What appeared to be a stalagmite is actually a creature with two short, jagged arms ending in spiky claws. Bi-nou are carnivorous underdark predators that resemble stalagmites. Their origins are unknown, though some sages speculate they are rocks given life or dark experiments of the drow. As far as scholars can tell, they bear no relation to ropers other than in their appearance and choice of habitats. Bi-nou gather in clans formed of small family groups ruled by the largest bi-nou present. The leader selects the cavern for their lair, assigns egg-warming duties, and punishes those who fail to guard the eggs. Bi-nou encountered individually are usually rogue young or outcast adults. Bi-nou eggs are hard and facted like gems, and are greatly prized by dwarves and duergar. The eggs vary in size and color, the younger eggs being smaller but of brighter hue, while the older eggs are larger but lose much of their sheen. Each bi-nou clan will generally have 2d4 eggs present, each worth 100 to 1,000 gp. The remainder of the bi-nou's treasure consists of metallic remnants of previous kills. The bi-nou occasionally use stone shape to craft pedestals upon which to display these trophies, hoping to lure greedy humanoids to their doom. Organic material is absorbed by the bi-nou along with the flesh and blood of their victims. Bi-nou hate all warm-blooded creatures, particularly humanoids, who covet their gemlike eggs. Dwarves and duergar are their greatest foes, for the dwarves and their dark kin hunt them not only for their eggs, but also for their bodies, which make decent building materials. They have been known to ally with drow on occasion, but only if the dark evles outnumber them signifcantly. Bi-nou may work as sentires or even guards for the drow. Common bi-nou range from five to seven feet tall and weigh from 600 to 1,000 pounds. Their rocky skin varies in color from off-white to dark gray, and they prefer to live in underground chambers where the natural rock color mimicks their own. Bi-nou speak telepathically. COMBAT Bi-nou stand immobile among stalagmites and rocky outcroppings, blending in while they lie in ambush. When prey approaches within range of their blindsight, bi-nou often first employ their spell-like abilities to slow their adversaries or make escape difficult or impossible. Bi-nou then lash out with their jagged limbs, then squeezing with great force. When multiple bi-nou are present, they each operate independently, making a contest of seeing which can gain the most kills. Blind (Ex) A bi-nou is immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight. Constrict (Ex): A bi-nou deals 1d8+2 points of damage with a successful grapple check. Deaf (Ex): A bi-nou is completely incapable of perceiving sound, and is thus immune to language-dependent effects and sonic effects dependent on hearing. The creature has adapted to this limitation and thus suffers no penalty on initiative checks because of its deafness. Dig (Su): Once per day, a bi-nou can supernaturally dig through the earth. This functions as a move earth spell, with the following differences. Each round that the bi-nou maintains concentration, it can move a 10-foot cube of earth, and it may maintain concentration for as many rounds as its Hit Dice. Unlike the move earth spell, the bi-nou's dig ability may form tunnels. Caster level 10th. This is the equivalent of an 3rd-level spell. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a bi-nou must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict. Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—slow (DC 14), stone shape, wall of stone. Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Spell Vulnerabilities (Ex): Certain spells and effects function differently against a bi-nou, as noted below. A passwall spell stuns a bi-nou for 1d4 rounds. A transmute rock to mud spell slays a bi-nou instantly. A stone shape spell fully heals a bi-nou. Skills: *Bin-nou have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks when in rocky, underground environments. This bonus on Hide checks increases to +8 when the bi-nou is immobile. Originally appeared in Ruins of Undermountain II: The Deep Levels (1994). Category:Abberations